San Francisco’s waterfront provides critical access for essential services and supports thriving businesses and popular destinations. The Port uses a series of buoys to monitor the bay to respond to potential impacts due to tide or storms events.
The buoys collect real-time data from the bay, such as wave height, wind, temperature, and currents. Buoys are deployed near Aquatic Park, Pier 29, Rincon Park and Brannan Street Wharf. The Port is looking to expand the network to include Pier 14 and Pier 96.
This data provides a comprehensive understanding of waterfront conditions, especially during storms and high tide. These observations will improve how we prepare for and respond to emergencies, identify areas at risk for flooding, and help the Port maintain essential infrastructure and services.
Data will establish a season-long record of localized bay conditions to support future forecasting, model calibration, and long-term coastal resilience planning.
The Port has partnered with technology vendor SoFar Ocean.